You Don’t Need the Whole Path to Move Forward

When You Don’t Know What’s Next

Have you ever stalled on something because you couldn’t see the whole path ahead?

Maybe it’s a project you’ve been avoiding, a conversation you’re not ready for, or a career move that feels foggy at best.

We tell ourselves, “I’ll act when I’m sure.

”But leadership—and life—rarely work that way.

“Confidence doesn’t come from certainty—it comes from motion.”

Confidence doesn’t come from knowing the whole path.

It comes from taking one bold step forward and trusting it will reveal the next.

A Lesson From the Mountains

When I left college with no degree and two suitcases, I had no plan—just the pull to head west.

Each brushstroke of that journey—a bus ride, a seasonal job, a new town—revealed more of the picture. I didn’t realize it then, but I was teaching myself to move even when the map wasn’t clear.

Years later, when I stepped into my first executive leadership role, that same feeling came rushing back. No one handed me a playbook. The clarity came from conversations, decisions, and feedback loops—brushstroke by brushstroke.

Every season of growth has that same pattern: we move first, clarity follows.

The Inner Critic vs. Authority

The critic in your head will always say:

“You’re not ready.”

“What if this fails?”

“You should wait until you know more.”

Authority whispers something different:

“You’ll find your footing as you move.”

The truth is, clarity is built in layers of motion, not in moments of certainty. If you wait for every answer, you’ll stay stuck at the starting line.

Brushstrokes Build Confidence

Each conversation, each decision, each small risk becomes a brushstroke in your bigger picture.

When you pause and look back, you’ll see what you’ve created wasn’t chaos—it was progress.

It was courage taking shape, one step at a time.

A Question for You

What’s one step you’ve been avoiding because you can’t see the whole path?

Take it this week—not because you’re ready, but because you’re willing.

Confidence will catch up.

The Spark Within

This is what I call The Spark Within—the ability to quiet the inner critic, trust yourself, and lead with authority when confidence wavers.

If that message hits home, you’ll love my new free guide:5 Steps to Quiet the Inner Critic & Lead with Authority

It’s the survival guide I wish I’d had when the critic was loudest.